Tropical house



March 15, 1927.

TROPICAL HOUSE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @f5 9 q o l J T. MONTERUBIQ TROPICALHOUSE Filed June 24, 1926 March- 15, 19.27;

9. 4 9; D. 6 6 M9. A.

Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES.

TAinn MoNTERUBIo, oF sfr. Louis, ivrissounr. y

'rnorican Housn.

Application leld June 24, 19.2.6. Serial No. 118,337.

This invention relates to a tropical `house and it isan object of theinvention to provide a structure of this kind whereby itis possible togrow and raise tropical trees in to provide a structure of this kindwherein the foliage is subjected to thefdesiredjmoisture essentialto itsgrowth.

The inventionv consists in theV details Iof construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my im-j provedtropical house whereby certain important advantages are attainedand thedevice rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenientand advantav geous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set fortv.

The novel'features ofmy invention will/ hereinafter `be definitelyvclaimed.

Ink order'that my invention may b e the better understood, I willvnowproceed to describe the samewith reference to' the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 isa view in top plan of the base `structurecomprised in the tropical house as herein disclosed, Vthe shiftablestructure being diagrammatically indicated by brokeny lines; Figure 2 isa vertical sectional view taken through thestructure as hereindisclosed; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewillustrating the means herein disclosed for Apositioning the shiftablestructure ydirectly vabove the associated pit or ditch; y f Y Figure 4is a fragmentary sectional View showing the shiftable structure in asecond position; v

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 5 5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detailed view partly in section and partly in.elevation illustrating the, manner vof assembling the glasspanels ofthe double' walls of the shiftable structureas herein set forth 5.,

.sions2. v v l The rails 3 provide a trackway fora shiftvFigure 7 is afragmentary elevational view illustrating themeansyherein employed forholding the shiftable structure in eitherlof its two positions;

FigureV 8 is ay fragmentaryy sectional viewv illustratingy the` means toprevent air pass-v ing into the vhouse when the shiftable structui'eisin ditch;

Figure 9. is a sectional .view illustratinga proper'position above thepit or l' further means for sealing the shiftable structure when inposition above the pit or ditch. l i

As disclosed. in the accompanying drawings, D denotes an artificiallydug ditch or pit of" requisitedimensions butl .preferably .of an averagedepthk of tenfeet' although it is tobe understood that the depth'of thisf lditch .or pit `may be vvaried. in accordance with the species oftrees to be grown.` i

The side andbottom walls'of the ditch or pit` D are in no way obstructedso thatfthe moisture absorbedfby thesoil may readily v diuse within theditch or pit in order to .f

maintain the ytemperature around the trees growing therein at suchdegree of moisturev essentialy to the growth ofthe foliage, and which isyof especial importance when growing in either of the temperate zonestropical; trees such as' mango,'pap'aw, guava, guana-y Y bana, banana,yzapote, alligator pear, coee,

rubber, etc. 1

The upper portions of the sidewalls of.

the ditch orl pit .D are dened by a` coping kor base'l preferablyconcrete, and opposed lengths la'of such 'coping are continued by theextensions 2. The extensions 2 and the associated lengths la of thecoping'. or base` have extending therealong from subst'antially one endto the other the rails These rails 3 -are embedded within theVcementitious material withthe exception of a slight, pori .tion of thekball of each of the rails which projects `a `slight distance above theupper surfaces of the lengths l? and the ,exten-` able structure S. Thisstructure Scomion drawings, for contact with thev coping or, asillustrated in Figure 9, sand or the like may be placed upon the copingagainst opposite sides ot' the sills. Vhile I particularly refer tothese two means oi' sealing the contact between the sills 4 and thecopi-ng 1, I wish it to be understood that other means may be employedas may be pret-'erred or the necessities of practice require. j

The side walls and root oiV the structure S are such to providetherebetiveen a dead air space 6 to provide an eiiective heatinsulation, that is to say, to' prevent the lower exterior temperatureeffecting the temperature-within the structure- S when in workingposition and also to effectively retain the higher temperature withinthe portable structure and ditch or pit so that trees confined thereinwill be subjected to substantially the same condition vduring the wintermonths as in their native climate. The walls and rootcom'prise'thevspaced glass panels 7 effectively maintained in desiredassembled relation by the holding plates 8.` `Each set of plates 8 hasassociated therewith a clamping bolt 9 andarranged closely adjacent toand at both sides lof the bolt 9 are the U-st'rips 10 whereby the outerand inner panels are effectively lmaintained in their desired separatedrelation in accordance with the dimensions of the d-ead air space 6desired. |The'marginal portions of the plates 8 and the adjacentportions of the panels 7 preferably'have applied thereto a sealingmedium 11, such as putty, in order to assure the desired hermeticsealing o'l' the panels to prevent the entrance or exit of air withrespect to the interior of the structure S and more especially when inworking or applied position with respect t'o the ditchor pit D.

lThe rooil of the shiftable structure S is oi" a gable type with itsvridge 12 disposed in the direction of travel or shifting of thestructure S.v The upperporti-ons of the side walls of the structure S ata point immediately adjacent to their junction with the roof havedisposed thereafround reinforcing or strengthening trusses 14 so thatthe upper portions 'of such walls will be effectively bracedl orstrengthened to withstand strain imposed 4thereupon by high winds. Thetruss structures 14 are arranged inwardly of the portable structure Sand oii'er. no hindrance or Aobstruction to the i'oliage of 'the treeshoused by such structure and also permit unhinde'red shifting of thestructure when it is movedto a position away from the ditch for pit D.

The wall of the structure `S remote from the extensions 2 is providedwith relatively j The ridge portion of the roof of the portablestructure is braced or reinforced at desired points therealong in aconventional manner by the beams 16.

The end portions of' the sills 4 coacting with the lengths la ot thecoping and the extensions 2 are provided with the grooved wheels 17which ride upon the rails 3.

These wheels, as vherein disclosed, are disposed through such sills 4 inorder to eiiect the requisite relation between these sills 4. and thecoping. When the structure S isy properly positioned above the ditch orpit D, each of the wheels 17 will drop within 'aA depression 18 providedin the associated rail 3, such depression 18 being 'of suchd'epth toassure the sills 4 of the structure S coining into direct contact withthe coping 1.

Upon proper stress or 'strain being imposedy upon `the structure 1S, thewheels 17 .will readily pass out ofthe depressions 18 resulting in aslight yet suiii'cient raising 'of the structure S to assure the samebeing shifted or moved along the tracliway 3 to a loc-ation at one sideof the pit or ditch D..

In practice, the structureS is positioned above the ditch or pit vDvduring the 'winter months. It is to be understood, however, that if thetropical houseis being used in connection with the growing of trees suchas mango, banana, papaw, coiee and rubber', the. structure S should bemaintained in working position with respect to the ditch or pit D untilthe normal temperature does not tal-l below sixty degrees Fahrenheit.

During those periods when the trees with` 1n the ditch or pit D arefurther conii'ned temperature is satisfactory, the structure -S is movedalong the rails 3 to one side ot the ditch or. pit D, rand thus'permitting the trees to further develop under natural climaticconditions.

While the depressions 18 assure the proper positioning of the structureS over the ditch D and to a considerable extent to main-tain` thestructure in such position, Iiind itfoft advantage to provide further'means to eti-ect a positive anchoring of 'the structure S and, asherein disclosed, this is done through the medium ot the hook membersV19-carried by the sills 4 and engaging the `upst'and-i'n-gstaples 20carried by the coping 1. This same means is Iemployed to hold thestrucoperative position or when arranged to one side of the ditch D.This positive anchoring means is of particular importance to 1 preventdisplacement of the structure S as a result of highwinds.

While I have hereinbefore particularly referred to my improved house foruse in connection with the development of tropical trees and the like ineither of the temperate zones,.it is to be understood that it can alsobe employed to the same advantage in latitudes above forty for thegrowth and development of semi-tropical trees or trees native to lowerlatitudes.

The structure S in practice is of a height whereby the upper edge of adoor opening in a wall thereof will closely approximate the maximumgrowth of the trees being developed although in the event the treesshould reach a greater height, the tops will readily flex to permit thestructure S to be moved or shifted to itsinoperative position.

It will be understood that the dimensions of theditch or pit D andthe'portable structure Sl are dependent upon thelnumber of, treesdesired to be grown. On a large scale, the ditch or pit may be of amaterial length and a plurality offstructures S employed or otherwise asappears to be the most practical.

From the foregoing description ity is thought to be obvious that atropical house constructed in accordance with myinvention isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated, and

it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some changeand modification without departing from the principles and spiritthereof and for this reason4 I do not; wish to be understood as limitingmyself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several partsherein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except ashereinafter claimed. f

I claim :--V

l. A tropical house comprising, in combination, spaced rails providing atrackway, an artificially dug ditch being providedbetween portions ofthe rails, the walls of the ditch being unobstructed, ya portablestructure traveling on the rails for movement above the ditch or to apoint to one side thereof, and means for locking the structure when ineither of said two positions against displacement with respect to therails, the walls ofthe structure lhaving their major portionstransparent.

2. A tropical house comprising, in combination, spaced rails providing atrackway,

an artificially dug ditch being provided between portions of the rails,theV walls of the ditch being unobstructed, a portable structuretraveling on the rails for ymovement v above the ditch or to a point toone side thereof, means for locking the structure When in either of saidtwo positions against displacement with respect to the rails, the wallsof the structure having their major portions transparent, and wheelscarried by the portable structure directly engaging the rails, saidrails being provided with depressions to receive the wheels when theportable structure is properly positioned over the ditch and to causethe structure to have a slight drop.

3.l A tropical house comprising, in combination, a continuous coping,ythe area defined by the coping constituting an artiicially dug ditch,the walls of the ditch being unobstructed, rails mounted upon the icoping at opposite sides of the ditch and eX- tending beyond the ditch,a portable hethouse structure, wheels carried by said structure ridingon thefrails, said rails adjacent l to the ditch havingvdepressedportions to receive the wheels ofthe structure to bring saidstructure in direct contact with the coping when thestructure ispositioned entirely .over the ditch.

4. VA tropical house comprising, incombination, a continuous coping,'the yarea delined by the coping constituting ,anartiicially dug ditch,the walls of the ditch beingunobstructed, rails mounted upon the copingat opposite sides of the ditch and extending beyond thev ditch, aportable hothouse structure, wheels carried by said. structure riding onthe rails, said rails adjacent 'to the ditch having depressed portionsvto receive the wheels of the structure to bring said structure indirect contact with the copin lwhen the structure is positioned over theditch, and means for' lockingv the portable structure when in suchyposition to the coping.

5. A tropical house comprising, in combination, a continuous coping, thearea defined bythe coping constituting an artiicially dug ditch, thewalls of the ditch being unobstructed, rails mounted upon the coping-atopposite sidesof the ditch and extending beyond the ditch, a portablehothouse structure, wheels carried by said structure riding on therails, said rails adjacent to the ditch having depressed portions toreceive the wheels of the structure to bring said structure in directcontact with vthe coping when the structure is positioned over theditch, and means lto prevent passage of air.

between the structure andV coping when in direct contact with theVcoping.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. f

TAIDE MoNTERUBro.

